Forsaken
by keegon
Summary: The Original Digidestined have been stuck in the Digital World since they were kids, and so are any other Digidestined Children. What's the cause of this? How have they made life work? ***CHAPTER 5 NOW UP****
1. Just a Dream?

Author Note: I do not own any of the characters used in this writing, they belong to their respective publisher, writers, etc. I, however, do own the made up character and plot of this story. If you wish to use any part of it, just email me and tell me at Saliork@aol.com. Thank you, also, please, R/R.  
  
For Reviewers: Want to take a guess at who the person is? Please tell a both before and after thought because at the bottom in helps an awful lot in deciding.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Dreams: The way our subconsciousness deals with everything that is happening in our conscious world.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.  
  
That was the only thought that my entire mind was concentrating on, and it was even harder to follow the order than to think it. I was running, I could feel my legs moving underneath me, and I could practically hear the sound of my heartbeat in my ears, drowning out the footsteps that I knew was infront of me.   
  
Why was I running?   
  
Or maybe for a better question, what was I running from.....or to? I couldn't quite get past that thought when I realized that my lungs were bursting for air.   
  
Breathe. Breathe.......  
  
The scenery....it was changing..... what in the world was going on?   
  
Red.   
  
Crimson.  
  
Crimson Red....like blood?  
  
But that didn't make sense. Again I took in a large breath or air, and found it pure, not tainted by the metallic smell of blood or sweat, or even skin. Hell, I couldn't even smell my own scent.   
  
But it's right there infront of my eyes. Hold on a second......it.....blinked?   
  
And suddenly, everything around me was moving, and I was no longer running, for I was at a ledge....a cliff.... and.... where had that thing gone? It was right here a minute ago...but now....  
  
A breeze flew right into my face, and I looked up into the sky...   
  
and saw something falling.....it looked almost.... human?  
  
Yes, that was fabric surrounding it, it was wearing clothing, and indeed, it was falling.   
  
Red.   
  
Red hair was flowing around the head, and even from this distance I could tell it was a girl...no, more like a woman.  
  
She continued to fall, and as she got closer, I stepped closer to the edge. I was going to catch her. Well, no body had ever awarded me for being smart, but it was the only thing that I half thought about as she got closer.  
  
Ten feet.......Five feet.......Two feet.......  
  
She slipped right through my grasp, and from the one second that I had a look at her face, I could tell that she wasn't even conscious.   
  
Shit.  
  
I jumped after her, hoping to catch her. Jumped right off that ledge in hopes to catch someone that I didn't even know, who could already be dead....  
  
My arms stretched out again, wanting to catch her, to touch her.....  
  
But the air was distancing me from her....or was it her from me?  
  
Darkness surrounded the both of us, and the only thing I could barely see at that moment was her as her back was heading first into the impact that I knew would come.   
  
And then....  
  
as if the darkness had suddenly decided the falling had come to an end...  
  
She disappeared, was gone. And I continued to fall, my arms numbly stretched out to catch her, and I was falling.   
  
Falling.   
  
Falling in the dark.   
  
And then, as I closed my eyes, preparing myself for the impact, I felt myself crush into something soft.  
  
Soft?  
  
My body moved automatically, raising up in the bed that I had fallen asleep in just a few hours earlier. I am in my bed. I am alive in my bed. I am alive, breathing, and in my bed at the palace.   
  
The point being: I am alive.  
  
My hands. I stared at them still out-stretched infront of me. They were empty. I hadn't caught her. She was probably dead. But if I'm alive, then that must mean that it was just a dream. A dream.  
  
Where the hell did that dream come from?  
  
A trickle of something....of sweat, ran down the side of my face. I was breathing hard, taking in short ragged breathes, my shirt was stuck to my chest, and a sudden wave of heat caught up with me. I threw off my sheets clumsily, and made myself stand up on the cold floor. I walked opened the door quietly, and walked down the hallway in ease. I was headed towards the balcony, headed towards the only thing that could calm me down right now.   
  
I opened the doorway to the balcony, slipped through the crack that I had opened, and left it. Walking straight towards the railing, I swung my legs over it. And sitting on top of the railing, I looked across the scene that was given to me.   
  
It was still dark, but I could see the light brightening up the sky from the east, tainting it a light blue, only to become darker as the sky progressed. The town below the balcony was eerily silent, lacking it usualy bust of dealing and noise. Everything was shut, or boarded up, with a few windows having glass. It was the market place, the most likely place for thieves. Sunrise wasn't far away, and the breeze that came from it brought me back to the dream.   
  
It had been so real. so much like a reality that it was frightening. And to actually feel the gut wrenching horror in the bottom of my stomach is alien to everything that is my nature.   
  
Who was the girl?  
  
Or, for a better question, what happened to her?  
  
Beep….Beep….Beep….  
  
"This is not a test. Repeating: This is NOT a test. Infiltration in Sector : 4 BD."  
  
Infiltration in Sector : 4 BD? But that's where my sister is staying! As the alarm sounded louder, and I heared in the distance footsteps of soldiers on the way, I was already racing against time to get to her. I have to get to her before anything happened. I pushed the dream into the back of my brain as I barely managed to turn another corner.  
  
The dream……  
  
what if…..  
  
it wasn't….  
  
just a dream? 


	2. Poison

Author Note: I do not own any of the characters used in this writing, they belong to their respective publisher, writers, etc. I, however, do own the made up character and plot of this story. If you wish to use any part of it, just email me and tell me at Saliork@aol.com. Thank you, also, please, R/R.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Poison: It infects us, taking us in even if we resist  
Filling us up, then letting us down  
And after it's all over  
We yearn for more  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Beep…….Beep…..Beep…..  
  
  
My first thought: Kill whoever or whatever was making that damn beeping noise.  
  
"This is not a test. Repeating: This is NOT a test. Infiltration in Sector: 4 BD."  
  
My second thought: Shit. Oh Shit.  
  
I was up and running, not truly caring that I was only in shorts, socks, and a tank top. I stumbled my way out of my room, barely managing to grab my staff (my weapon of choice for training), and made my way out into the bright hallway. I'll never understand how this place could be so bright when it isn't even sunrise yet, but right now I was thankful for it.   
  
Now, which way to go? I knew I should've paid more attention to Hikari when she was telling where was where, but still, it got really boring after the first five sentences. Let's see, she said that I was sleeping in Sector 3, so Sector 4 would be…?  
  
Right. Left was always wrong, so right would be the correct choice..I hope. Well, I had to get to her, so if I find her somewhere else, then it'd still be the same outcome, right?  
  
I took a deep breathe, and concentrated on my other senses. That's what you get when you have to train with both the Child of Love, and then the Child of Sincerity. What are they always trying to pound into my head?   
  
1) Stay calm. Check.  
  
2) What do you see? A bright hallway, there's muddy footprints on the floor, and… and there's a door open at the end of the hall.  
  
3) What do you hear? Alright, after getting past the sound of my heart beating into my ears, as well the that of my footsteps, I hear…..I hear something coming, something that sounds like armor…Armor? Soldiers?  
  
4) What do you feel? I stopped for a mere second in my running, just long enough to feel the heavy fibration through the floor. Yup, defidnently soldiers. The wind blew through my hair, but it felt strange….not like the wind at all…but that didn't make sense, did it?   
  
It doesn't feel like the wind would outside, in the open, but it does carry the same fresh smell. Alright, I have completely gone bonkers. I skid to a halt infront of the opened door, look inside to just see another door down open on the right, and no enemies. I posed my staff into defense mode, and cautiously entered into the next room, which lead into another room.   
  
Why in the world did any palace have this many rooms? I mean, they don't even use most of it half of the time, and even then, it takes more to keep it clean than any other place that I know…well that doesn't exactly count for Sincerity's Haven. But that's besides the point!   
  
Wait a minute, what was that? The soldiers! They've stopped!   
  
Where the hell am I? One more door, hopefully that's the right one. It was half opened, and didn't seem to be sensitive active like the rest of the doors in the palace. I squeezed through the door, not a hard thing to do considering how wide they make them, and looked around the room.   
  
It's a regular bedroom, queen size bed in the middle, but everything that would normally be neat and accounted for wasn't. Pots broken, the sheets on the floor, this whole place was a mess. It looked like a girl's room….like Hikari's would!  
  
I ran towards the bed, ducked down in a graceful movement that took a good thirty times to actually get the hang of in practice, and checked under the bed. Nope, this room was basically clear of any life.   
  
*Ding*  
  
The door! I was up with a quickness that normally would've given me a headache, and glanced around the room once more. No, it looks like the battle had moved outside of here. I moved towards the door that I presumed had made the noise, took a deep breathe, and opened it to see…..  
  
To see down the hall way a bunch of soldiers at one end of an intersection, Hikari in a pool of blood in the center, and Courage delivering the final blow to a bird-like digimon. He held his sword right through it's heart, and from what I could see (which wasn't much considering that I was facing the bird's back) was roasting the bird inside out with his anger. The bird digimon was already disappearing by the time that I had gotten to Hikari.   
  
She was bleeding from a cut to her left side, one of the few blind spots that Hikari was teased about, but it was very small and would heal quickly. There was a big bruise forming on the side of her cheek, and she was very pale. A bruise and cut wouldn't make someone of a usual good tan turn that color except…..  
  
"She's been poisoned." I barely recognized my own voice as it sounded distant, and mostly distraught by the discovery. The worst part I hadn't even spoken yet, the part where the Child of both Love and Sincerity couldn't identify the poison, didn't know how to stop or cure it from killing Hikari.   
  
I tore my eyes away from her, from the Child of Light, and looked to the Child of Courage, to her own blood brother, to Taichi, who seemed disattached to the world for a moment, then it all seemed to come rushing at him in his eyes. He stepped back as if having taken a blow, his sword dropping to the ground beside a leather pouch from where he had killed the digimon.   
  
That pouch…it looked familiar. I unconsciously got up and walked over to it, forgetting my staff beside Hikari, and knelt down next to it. My fingers traced the seal which was placed on it, the seal used by none other than the Child of Love. I opened it with trembling fingers, Love didn't usually send a messenger for anything, she was the kind of person who wanted to do it all in person, and sending a messenger is a rare occurrence with any information, even more rare for the distance that it had to come.   
  
My hand brought out a letter, unfolded it, and my eyes scanned across the hand writing. It was, indeed her hand writing, and was even written in the D.D. language so that only we could understand it. My eyes read the words as my brain tried to keep up, barely getting the main intent of the short letter.   
  
"What is it?" The voice was curious, if not totally covered with anger, which I recognized from Taichi's deep voice.  
  
"It's from Love." My voice had cracked again, and he snatched the letter away from me in a hostile fashion that I almost grabbed it back, but didn't. I knew better than that, especially from visiting here not to do something that could get you killed.   
  
"She wrote…She wrote to tell us that Sincerity's calling a meeting, and is requesting-"  
  
"Requesting an escort to Mimi's Haven after her visit with Jyou", Taichi finished up the last piece, and as I caught a glance in his eyes, I saw how misery filled them. Love would only trust a bird digimon with that information, and only her most prized one would be selected to bring something like that…..  
  
"You killed her most prized one!" It was the Child of Courage and Friendship, Daisuke, who had said it with anger, little awe, and a dangerous cut to it. Love had always kept that one bird with her, and all of the Digidestined had played with the bird more than on one occasion, knowing that it wouldn't attack or hurt them in any way. Love cared for that bird with such a passion that just seeing her look at it made you want to step back from how it radiated from her. And now that it was dead…….  
  
"Yolei, what about Hikari? Is there a cure that you know? A plant that could cure it?" Taichi's voice was desperate, and even in his chocolate tinted orange eyes, it was clear that he was indeed hoping for his sister's health. The momentary distraction was gone, and my voice was now even, back into the way I'd normally speak when asked such questions.   
  
"No, I don't have a clue as to what kind was used on her. In a few hours she won't be able to be transported anywhere, I could pick some herbs to slow it down…but Reliability would most likely know more about it, as well as the cure, than I would."   
  
That was hard, admitting that someone knew more about it than I did, that I didn't know what to do, or how to cure my best friend. Sincerity wouldn't know the poison because there was no sign of plant nor greeness from the infection. Meaning that it had gone into her blood stream, and is water based. Silence embraced the room, my eyes keeping to Hikari as she laid on the floor, in her own blood, paler than ever, and standing out against the peach fabric dress that she was sleeping in not even hours ago.  
  
"What are we going to do, Courage?" 


	3. In Charge

Author Note: I do not own any of the characters used in this writing, they belong to their respective publisher, writers, etc. I, however, do own the made up character and plot of this story. If you wish to use any part of it, just email me and tell me at Saliork@aol.com. Thank you, also, please, R/R.  
  
  
  
  
  
In Charge: We start out small  
Can't hurt you at all  
But by the time you realize  
We'll be in charge  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What are we going to do, Courage?"   
  
  
Of course, I was the one to say that, like a little boy who was lost in the dark instead of the heir to the crest of Courage and Friendship, instead of all the training that keeps getting pounded into me whenever a plan has to be made in five seconds flat. Of course.  
  
"Yolei, get started on that potion that can slow down the process. We need all the time that we can get. Use any resources that are necessary, meanwhile Dais you are in charge of the palace. You have full command while in my absence, and are protector of both the palace and Hikari."   
  
His orders always came out like that, strict and full of command, using a voice that when heard must be done. I unconsciously stood up taller, and at attention when he was looking at me.   
  
"I will go south. To talk to Love, and hopefully to find Reliability before…." His voice trailed off, losing the command that it had before, and his eyes appeared a million miles away as he glances at his sister. There would be tons of rumors by noon about this, and having him seen infront of the soldiers like this isn't right. I didn't allow a pause of hesitation or even a breath of air be passed when he had stopped before I picked it up, making it appear like I had indeed, cut him off.  
  
"Someone get the horse prepared for a week's travel. For the rest of you, I want a post set up at every entrance and exit! No one gets in or out without identification and must be marked down. If you get tired, best switch with one of the off guards, but there will be no sleeping while on watch! If I learn of even one of you closing your eyes for more than five seconds, I'll have you doing two training sessions a day with me, personally! Anyone not on duty will be training, eating, or sleeping. Is that understood?"  
  
I looked at the soldiers infront of me, they had automatically straigtened up, and was ready to take on whatever I had to say. They were mostly digimon, ones that appeared human, but weren't. It took a lot of power to pose as a human, but remain as a digimon.  
  
"Yes sir!" No one voice was out of line, all of them had it exactly to the perfect note, and with a nod of my head, they marched to carry out everything ordered. Usually poison would kill a person within a day, but when Miyako put her mind to slowing it down, it was a week before someone would officially be announced dead.   
  
A week. Seven days. Seven days to get 3,566 miles south and back with Reliability, with the antidote. Not very good odds, but it had to be done. It had to be, or else….  
  
I turned back towards the scene infront of me, away from the scattering soldiers, to see Taichi holding Hikari with the love of a brother. I watched as he picked her up like a porcelian doll, and walked towards me. And we stood there, just like that, with him infront of me, holding the girl of Light, and I stood infront of him, looking at him with complete ease. He held her out to me, and I took her, took the burden that would trouble both of us if she died.   
  
"Take good care of her." It was short, and calm, though I know from the little crack in his voice that he would give up everything to just keep holding onto her. I should've been there for her, but here I stood in my boxers, socks, and a sword barely hanging from it's compartment that had slipped down to my hip, holding the Child of Light who was wearing a simple peach gown that was torn and battered..  
  
"Good luck, Tai." My response came while he was running down the hall, not wasting anymore time. I pulled her pale body closer to me, and looked down to Yolei. We had to hurry if we wanted to stop it from hitting anything vital. She caught my eye, we held an unspoken discussion for a moment, and then both nodded with resolution.  
  
"I'm taking her down to the lab. Get anything you need, and I'll help anyway that I can."  
  
She nodded once more, got up from the floor with the pouch from Love, and sped off in the opposite direction of the way that I was going. I didn't want to run, knowing how clumsy I was I'd probably drop her, but I didn't want to walk either. Picking a pace that most would find hard to keep up with, I went my own way.   
  
I would have to check the security cameras to see if they picked up anything, well, besides Taichi killing Love's favorite bird. I don't know what she was going to do once she found out he killed it. As a matter of fact, I haven't ever seen her mad, I mean really angry enough to kill mad. Yup, Taichi was gonna get hurt alright.   
  
I was infront of the lab door before Miyako, and while trying to balance Hikari in my arms, placed my hand onto the identification detector, and after hearing a soft clink, walked into the lab. It was the only lab that I had ever been in, and I could tell anyone that seeing it, then working in it are two totally different things. I placed her down onto the cold, metal table, and looked at her for a moment. I once had a burning affection for her that I couldn't describe, but now it had dimmed into brotherly love. Or maybe cousin love….or something like that.   
  
I bent down underneath the table, and after retrieving several cotton blankets, placed them on top of her. It didn't get warm in here often, and having a fever to add to the poison wouldn't help any. Bending down once more, I brought up a shirt for me, and then a pair of boots. Adoning them with ease, I turned to the main computer to check the security cameras.  
  
I wasn't very good a computers, and most of the time it wasn't because I didn't try, it's just that they never cooperate with me. So after pressing a few keys and finally trying to open the camera to the hallways, it decided not to like me anymore. Biting back a string of curse words, I slammed my fist down onto the keyboard. I hate when it gets like that. Then it popped up, exactly the way that I had wanted it to. Much be some sort of masochistic kind of computer, I thought with a shrug.   
  
"Rewind Fifteen minutes ago, and then Play." I commanded, not daring to take the chance of touching the keyboard again. Thank Koushirou that it could also be voice activated.  
  
Nothing…..Nothing….Nothing…..Hold on a second….  
  
"Rewind two minutes and Play." It did as it was told…..so it wasn't a glitch….  
  
"Freeze!"   
  
What was that?   
  
"Zoom in." It enlarged the picture where it was frozen…  
  
The more I stared at it, I couldn't tear my eyes away. It couldn't be one of the digidestined….but it had a human form…so was it a digimon that had mastered the form?   
  
Or could it be…?  
  
"Oh no." 


	4. On the Way

Author Note: I do not own any of the characters used in this writing, they belong to their respective publisher, writers, etc. I, however, do own the made up character(s) and plot of this story. If you wish to use any part of it, just email me and tell me at . Thank you, also, please, R/R.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
On the Way: We head North, then West, and then East  
But none of us will ever forget  
How lovely is  
The life of the South  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
3,566 miles to go. Thoughts: Better get started.  
  
2,666 miles to go. Another thought: This is the fastest horse we've got?  
  
2,008 miles to go. Final thought: Get new instructor for the horses.  
  
The scenery around me is passing by in a breeze, I see a mountain, but just for a second, then it's gone. Green, Brown, Blue, Red, all the colors go by in a blur. The horse barely misses another tree as I'm riding through the forest. I don't bother looking back at how narrowly we missed it, my mind on the upcoming hill that has to be jumped. Normally, a horse of this kind could go faster than this, but since they haven't been outside of training for such a long time, it's hard to get the kinks out when something happens.   
  
Hikari….  
  
Tears blur my vision even more than it is, and I unconsciously blink them away. I've got to stop thinking about her lifeless body on the marble cold floor. It isn't helping the situation, especially when I narrowly miss another branch.   
  
1,999 miles to go. Yup, defidnently not helping the situation.  
  
I have to think about something else….but what?  
  
Love. She's gonna be really mad when she finds out about her bird. I know it wasn't the smartest thing to do, but still, the bird was there, Hikari in a pool of blood, and well, it didn't take a genius to guess what had happened.   
  
But obviously I guessed wrong.  
  
Love. I haven't seen her in years. 1,825 days to be exact. It's not that I didn't want to see her, it's just that building the palace, and then training, and….  
  
Who am I kidding?  
  
I didn't want to see her because I was afraid to tell her that I loved her. I know it's stupid, it's gotta be one of the most easiest things to say, but when it comes down to it…  
  
My body presses closer to the horse, hoping to help the wind resistance that isn't the only thing slowing us down. If I wanted to make it there by tomorrow, I'd have to lose the luggage that they packed on here. I reach behind me for the cord that is holding the bag to the horse and in one easy twist, it drops to the ground.  
  
But my mind is still on her. How do you say 'I love you' to the Child of Love? To her, who has been told more than on one occasion by anyone and everyone of both genders, of both digimon and human race, that I love her?  
  
1,666 miles left to go. And it's sundown already…  
  
Great. Just peachy.  
  
Can I make it there in the dark? I can barely see my hand infront of me, until, and I thank Jedi for this, the almost full moon appears in the sky, brightening up everything around me. Stars shine up above, the brightest at my back, the one that I'm hanging my hopes on not to move before I find my way back to my sister. The horse is getting tired, and I whisper encouraging words to keep him awake.   
  
I didn't notice before, but the air is becoming much more warmer than it was at home. Down here, it gets warmer than what most can stand, digimon and digidestined alike. Mostly the only digimon that lived on land here were bird, or fire types, which live for the heat alone. The waters were a totally different story, considering how well temperate it was. Even the coldest living monsters could survive in the water alone down here. A complete contradiction to the life on land.  
  
999 miles left to go.   
  
Inbetween volcanoes erupting, monsters dueling, and just living for a thrill, no wonder the area down here was hot. And I mean hot. If I wasn't half fire type in my blood, I'd be dying of dehydration right about now. It's a wonder that my horse is only sweating from the heat, but I'm thankful that at the pace we're going, the wind will cool us down.   
  
567 miles left to go.   
  
Whenever Love sent a messenger to the palace, requesting an escort, I'd usually send whoever was willing or not: Jyou (who is sometimes at the palace would go just to see how things were down there) , Yamato (he is rarely at the palace, but when he is, he is more than willing to go), TK (whom is often around the palace, with Yamato, or with Iori), Miyako (who would flat out refuse because she'd be going to Mimi to continue her studies or some other excuse, but I suspect that she just didn't want to get sucked into more training sessions), Daisuke (who would look happy to just get out and do something), and I was even suckered into allowing Hikari to go, who would beg me everytime.   
  
When they'd come back, and I was alone with them, I'd ask them how it went, with which the answers were:  
  
"She's doing just fine." -Jyou, smiling lightly.   
  
"No comment." -Yamato, who would provide a smirk to go with it, which I almost knocked off of him once.   
  
"Just great!" -Tk, who said the words with such passion that I still wonder what was said between them.  
  
"It was sooo cool!" -Dais, with a bright grin on his face.  
  
"It's absolutly wonderful! Can I go back later?" -Hikari, with such a glow about her that I felt bad for telling her no.  
  
Of course, she didn't come to the palace when she was requesting an escort any of those times, she was usually going anywhere that seemed fun, or that any of her escorts would be absolutely thrilled to accompany her with, and they always met at Firefly Town. She never forgot her manners, always sending a message that she was thankful for the escort's help, and hoped that it wasn't a burden for me. I knew that she could more than likely take care of herself, but I still wonder about her the last second before sleep engulfs me every night.   
  
232 miles left to go.   
  
Most of the time they would tell me where they went, what it was like, who they met, what great fun they had, but never what they talked about with Love. And I guess inbetween the smiles on their faces, how they usually glowed when they came back, and how they didn't mention anything that I didn't want to come right out and ask, well, I finally broke while questioning Daisuke about a trip 2 years ago. And finally asked the question that had been on my mind whenever one of them came back: "What did you two talk about?"  
  
I was answered with a blush, diverted eyes, and a grin. All three making me want to choke him to death. When I got up and stood infront of his chair, I noticed how he got the 'deer in the headlight' look on his face. Knowing that brilliance wasn't one of my, nor Dais, better qualities, I finally asked (trying my hardest not to sound desperate, but not succeeding): "Did she say anything about me?"  
  
The grin stayed, the blush was now gone, and his eyes were looking straight at me. We stared at eachother like that, both searching eachother's eyes for answers that we each wanted to know, until he finally blinked, and smiled a full smile then: "Tai, I can't tell you what we talked about because that would break the trust that I hold with her. It wouldn't be fair to her if I told you what was said, but I'll tell you this one thing that she asked me to tell you personally." With a dramatic pause in which Daisuke got up, walked over to the door, and with a great deal of character that I admired him for, turned to look at me, he said, "She says that she misses you."  
  
099 miles left to go.  
  
And then he had left, leaving me to ponder the statement which was added onto her normal 'thank you' message (all which were told by the escort). Maybe I was only reading inbetween the words, but I could've sworn that I still had a chance with her. She had sent for an escort several times after that, but I never could quite bring myself to go. Each escort after that had the usual 'thank you', with nothing added on to tell me. Each time I felt disappointed that she hadn't.  
  
16 miles left to go.  
  
We were back in a forest, and going much slower than we had started out going. The horse is breathing so hard that I'm positive it'll collapse soon. The sun had come up about 30 miles back, and was now halfway in the sky. My body is stiff, joints needing to move but not, and we're doing a trotting pace. It's quiet out here, few birds chirping, the crickets are quiet, and I can hear nothing but silence.  
  
"AH!"   
  
I thought too soon. Just what I need. The horse picks up his pace with a passion that I feel almost afraid that the attacker may not need to fear me, but fear the horse that I now have no control over. I barely manage to duck another tree branch as I see the a Flymon getting ready to attack a petite boy who was five feet away from him, his main attention on the unconscious second Flymon that he is standing ontop of.   
  
I jumped off at the last second, and while the horse continues to ride onward, I collide with the monster who was about to attack the unsuspecting boy, hurling both of us to the ground. With one swift hit to the neck, the insect was unconscious. I gingerly get off of the attacker, my bones making a popping sound as I stretch to my full height, and then turn my attention to the boy.   
  
Wow. My first thought, and probably my last for a few more minutes as I realize that it wasn't a boy that I helped, but a girl. Infront of me is a true beauty, red hair with blue streaks in it that brushes slightly above her shoulders, khaki pants which are cut off shortly past the knees, a green shirt that is defidnently too large, a small leather pouch tied to the waist (which also keeps the shirt from falling down), and bare feet, which has cuts all over them. My eyes tear to her face: nice red lips, cute nose, and black sunglasses on. Her body is facing me in a fighting stance, and we stand like that, looking at eachother.   
  
"Nnnphmmmm."  
  
The horse startles me out of my observation (if you can call it that), and I watch on as the horse comes to the girl, and nuzzles against her. As she pets it, I feel a sudden anger in me, part of me wanting to go over and hit the horse, while the other part is wondering why I feel this way. Weird.  
  
"Are you alright?"   
  
My voice breaks the silence, and she stops petting the horse and turns towards me. I can't tell if she's looking at me, especially with no hope in seeing through those shades. I unconsciously place a hand behind my head nervously, and try smiling the best that I can. Just as I'm about to get irritated with the silence, she tilts her head with a gracious smile at me. Why do I suddenly feel ontop of the worlds?  
  
"I'm fine. Thank you for you help." Her voice is soft, and mostly soothing, and I'm a bit surprised to see that she actually understood my language. Most of the monsters down here couldn't even decipher one word, but rely on their own gibberish language to talk to one another. Nothing but a bunch of monsters down here: uncivilized and unkept. I watch as she stumples to take a step off of the body she's ontop, and I move with an ease that could only be learned, catching her before she even gets close to the ground, but her glasses lose to gravity, and fall without being caught off of her face.   
  
"Then again, maybe not."   
  
I laugh without thinking, but not feeling embarrassed as she is laughing too, and slowly bring her up, not quite ready to let her go from my arms. She's defidnently petite, but not like Sincerity (who I caught once, only for her bones to fee like a fragile doll). My hands are still around her waist, her face is facing my direction, but her eyes are closed to me, and it takes me a minute to get out of my own observations. Suddenly feeling uncomfortable at the silence that has came, I let go of her, and picked up her glasses.   
  
"Uh….sorry about that. Here are your glasses." I drop them into her open hands, and watch as she puts them back on, mumbling a quiet 'thanks'. I look away from her, feeling heat rise to my face, and concentrate on the horse. He seemed alright, and wasn't dehydrated yet (or atleast not totally). Taking a few deep breathes, I'm ready to face her again. No more blushing, no more uncomfortable silences, I'm on a mission and I can't be distracted. I glance over her again, and notice that she has a nasty gash on her leg. I can't leave her here in the middle of nowhere, especially with her lack of equipment and injured!  
  
"Where are you headed?"  
  
"Oh…just south of here is a little town, it's called Firefly." She sounds a bit hesitant, and I understand without having to be told that you have to earn trust around here. Well, saving your life is one thing, but trusting someone with it is different.   
  
"Alright, would you like a ride? I'm headed there as well…." I trail off as I notice how she's wringing her gloved hands on the bottom of her shirt, a nervous habit, I guess. She stands there for a moment, a soft blush on her face as she considers what I said, and then accepts my offer. I help her up onto the horse, trying my best to keep my mind from wondering, and then with one hand on her waist, and the other on the sattle's hem, I pull myself up behind her. She's a few inches shorter than me, which isn't much of a surprise since I'm about 5' 9", and gives me a good view over her head. As the horse picks an easy pace, and we leave the unconscious digimon behind us, I realize how dry my throat has become.   
  
"Head to the left, there's a stream over there."  
  
I glance down at her, she's facing straight ahead, and hasn't touched the reins in the least, but the horse is moving towards the left, having understood what she had said without being forced to do so. My throat hurts too much to even ask how she knew, and my stomach is aching, so I become content on just hearing the silence of the forest again, but it's not silent now. There are more birds, and animals making noise, much more going on than before. We appear infront of a small stream, the water is crystal clear, and by the time that I'm off the horse and putting my head into the water, the horse has already past me in drinking it.   
  
The water feels cold, and I almost forget my need for air if not for the burning in my lungs. I pull my head out of the water, my hair slicked back in an odd order that must have been humorous because she's laughing at me. I spare a glance at her before plunging my head under again, drinking up as much as I can. When I come back up this time, she's right beside me, handing me a large piece of bread and cheese.   
  
"Oh no, I couldn't -" I'm cut off from my stomach growling, and instantly blush at how it won the conversation. She just smiles at me as I take it, and then goes back over to the horse, giving it the rest of the bread and cheese. It eats nearly as bad as I do, but I'm too hungry to notice. She pets the horse with absolute ease, and it doesn't seem to have any complaints about it either. She turns back towards me, and waits until I'm finished eating to say anything.  
  
"When was the last time you ate?"  
  
"Oh….about….", it takes me a minute to think back, nope, not yesterday, not even breakfast, so it must have been, "the day before yesterday."   
  
"No wonder your hungry! I don't have any more food on me, but when we get to the village, I'll make sure they give you something to eat. Why didn't you eat anything?"   
  
She seems absolutey apalled to think that I haven't eaten since then, and part of me wants to keep her wondering about how or why I didn't. I look back to the water, and see my reflection. It's a good thing that she is blind, seeing a person like me wouldn't help any on the trusting level. I have on a no-sleeve tan shirt, and a pair of brown riding pants that I had barely been able to put on before jumping on the horse and going off. Even with my brown hair back, it's out of order and the golden streaks in it can still be seen. My face isn't all that bad, but my eyes have that orange spark in them from my crest. That and the tatoo markings on my body seems to get the most stares if I'm in a nice looking place. Yup, I'll make a really good impression on the natives.  
  
"I'm sorry. Didn't mean to ask anything personal."  
  
"We should get going if we want to make it there soon." It's the only thing that I can think of to say, and I get back up to help her back onto the horse. I had to get there, find Love, and get to Reliability, and still make it back within a week. I think that someone upstairs doesn't like me much.  
  
We ride on in silence, and finally come within the view of the village. It doesn't seem very busy, having a little over 10 digimon out at the moment, fixing up the outside of the house or in the garden or doing something. The horse comes to a stop right before entering the village, and I look around to see what stopped him. Seeing nothing, I click my tongue, making the sound that tells him to go on. We enter even more slowly, one slow step infront of the other. One of the small villagers, a Yokomon, looks towards us, and then turns over to her partner and whispers something. The other Yokomon looks over at us as well, and a whisper spreads throughout the town.   
  
"Sky! Sky's back! Sky!"  
  
The Yokomon that yelled it comes running straight at the horse, and I barely keep the horse from running away as it comes to stop infront of us. Soon Yokomons start coming out of the houses, all of them chanting "Sky!", but not in the same rhythm, making it sound like a bunch of gibberish. Feeling more confused than ever, I look down at the girl in my arms to see her smilig down at them. Sky? Well, I've heard weirder names, like Pronego, and Lesticius. Their making a circle around the horse, whom is becoming quite agitated, and I dismount to calm him down. After helping her down, I take the horse's reins in my hands and watch the scene unfold before me.   
  
Sky is on her knees with them all around her, just chanting her name, and seem to be having a blast at it. Suddenly it becomes very quiet, and they part like the Red sea, an elderly grandmother looking Yokomon walk through it towards Sky, looking terribly grave.   
  
"Child, you have come back! He's been asking for you…"  
  
"You didn't really think that I wouldn't, did you? He'll be alright, I've got it right here!"   
  
She sounds so enthusiastic, half clutching and half holding the pouch from her waist in her hands, to the old woman. The old woman breaks a smile, a very small, barely visible smile, and takes it from her. She must have had some herbs in there, that's why she was so far from the village! But she had gotten this for some man? Maybe her boyfriend? Her husband? Part of me felt crushed that such a beauty had someone already…..Why were the pretty ones always taken?  
  
"You bring a stranger among us. Is he -"  
  
The old woman isn't even able to finish her sentence before Sky is up, and has taken my hand in her own, fingers intertwining one another. The grandmother looks satisfied, as the rest of the younger Yokomon are smiling and chattering to one another. I look at the girl holding my hand, but a different image flashes through my head as she smiles at me.   
  
One of the girl that I love, of Love, who the day before we parted five years ago, had taken my hand just like this, and had kissed me on the cheek. I blushed at the memory, and bring myself back to the present to notice her pulling me towards a house. The old woman had disappeared, and the Yokomon were playing with the horse, whom seemed to be having just as much fun. I allow her to drag me off, but my mind kept lingering to her soft grip on my hand, and to the memory that had resurfaced. 


	5. Danishka reranturante Realivity

Author Note: I do not own any of the characters used in this writing, they belong to their respective publisher, writers, etc. I, however, do own the made up character(s) and plot of this story. If you wish to use any part of it, just email me and tell me at keegon_pryo_06@yahoo.com. Thank you, also, please, R/R.  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 5  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Danishka reranturante realivity: Time to return to reality  
Where what you want to happen  
Doesn't  
And what you don't want to happen  
Happen anyway  
So why bother with time  
to return to reality?  
  
  
  
  
  
I can feel myself returning to consciousness. It's almost as if I'm rising up, I still see the darkness around me, but I can see the light up ahead. It becomes too bright, envelopes me in a conquering fashion, but the worse part is that I haven't even opened my eyes yet.  
  
"Sky…."  
  
I've been calling for her everytime that I had awaken, but each time the old woman had answered, whispering soothing words, but none letting on to where she was. I miss her with a pain, a feeling in the pit of my whole body, and it is sometimes too much to bear. I felt vaguely warm, and noticed that something, or someone is holding onto my hand in a simple and soft effort.   
  
"I'm here…"  
  
My heart stopped for a mere second, before speeding up at the sound of her soft voice. I was never able to detect her presence, but she always was there for me. What had made this time different in which she had to leave me? She sounded somewhat….tired? Frustrated?  
  
My eyes open to the light, and after adjusting, I take in the image of her before me. She looks different somehow, but her appearance is the same. She has glasses over her eyes, she rarely took those off, and I understood without a doubt as to why. Her clothes were dirty, and there was a cheerful smile on her face at looking upon me. I smiled despite the pain that was still affecting my back, which seared through my whole body as I struggled to sit up. She helped me without having to be asked, and I silently thanked her for it.   
  
My eyes wandered around the room, which was mostly a motel-sort of fashion. The bed was semi-large, enough to hold a couple, as was the next bed to my right. Right behind Sky…..  
  
"Who -?"  
  
"Shhh…it took me awhile to convince him to sleep. I don't think he's recognized me yet…"  
  
She whispered to me, and I take in the boy behind her. A simple sheet covered him, chest bare, as were his legs, and he slept in a rather large fashion, spread out all over the bed. I smiled at how he looked, and bit back a laugh. Dark features in the face, a tag and crest around his neck, and a peaceful expression was shown. At the foot of his bed were his folded pants, shirt, shoes, socks, and a sword to top it all off.   
  
Is this truly the boy who she thinks incessantly about?   
  
"I fear that he has come on mission rather than by request…."  
  
Her voice is filled with such sadness that I feel it in my own heart, tugging at it with an invisible force that would make anyone capable of tears to cry. Sky was usually so good at controling her gift, but at this moment I understood why she was so frustrated. I would feel absolutely furious if someone that I once knew didn't recognize me, or had only come when it is a dire emergency. It's terribly inconsiderate to do such a thing to a girl whose heart had already been given to him.  
  
I draw her into my flaming arms, hoping against hope that she was wrong, and he had finally came to see her….just to see her….and nothing more….  
  
As she relaxed in my arms, my mind spirals to the past, to when I had first held someone like this. The little girl, what was her name? oh yeah, Kiki, was the only childhood-friend that I had ever known. I had found her crying one morning, before the sun came up, and thought of a way to comfort her. I had seen Yokomon in the village hold eachother when the other was crying, and suprisingly, it worked for most of them. So, I gathered her up in my arms, and held her as she cried. After a few minutes, I became aware that she was no longer moving in my arms. I drew her back to look at her, only to find a charred and still burning girl in my arms. I had tried everything that I could to save her, separating myself from her, pouring water on her, yelling for help….everything….  
  
The Yokomon told me that it wasn't entirely my fault, that I hadn't known what I was doing….But I still banished myself into the volcano, into the firey pit of hell, and hoped that it would burn like I had done to Kiki. It had refused, and just as I was about to throw myself into it, when I had ultimately given up on myself, Sky found me. She begged me to come back to the outside world, that by dying it wouldn't help anyone, but indeed, cause more harm by taking away all of the good that I could accomplish. It was a tremendous discovery when I found out that I could touch her without…..  
  
"He's changed a lot…well physically…"  
  
Sky murmured into my flame resistant shirt as she snuggled closer to me. Indeed, he had changed a lot in both mind and body since the first time that I had seen him so many years ago. Almost seven years ago, when the Digidestined had first stumbled upon the Yokomon Village. When they had first saved me from destroying not only myself, but everything in sight. He had been a lot shorter then, not nearly as well built, and his hair was a bit more uncontrollable than it is now.  
  
I unconsciously run my fingers through her semi-long hair, which I knew she would cut soon. She never liked it long, but it was a gorgeous sight to see her with her hair cut in that simple fashion that she usually had. When did it get so long? How long have I been ill? And where was she when I was sick? I look over at the other bed to see the boy half sitting, half lying in the bed with his dark eyes unreadably staring at us. Sky probably hadn't even noticed that he was awake yet…  
  
"Danishka travoliante de mondeneta Kirkabishka." Time to play hostess once more, my Sister.  
  
"Danishka reranturante realivity Kirkabishko." Time to return to reality, my Brother.   
  
It was her response whenever we had to do something that we didn't want to do, or whenever dreaded 'what if' circumstances came up. It wasn't hard to see why, but none the less she stayed locked in my embrace for a few more selfish minutes, and then pulled away from me.   
  
It was always strange when she hugged me, I could feel the heat radiating off of her once she came into contact with me, but once she left a sudden coldness would come upon me that was ironic compared to my flaming tolerance to heat. I watched as she got up off of the bed, and pulled the simple sheet that was ontop of me off in her clutched hands, not even realizing that she was leaving me without a blanket of any sort as she left the room. She did that all of the time, she would come into my room, sleep or talk or do anything while I was in here, and would take something that she had unconsciously latched onto with her. Of course, the first few times she did that she didn't realize it until the next day, but she had gotten alot better at it, and would catch herself in the next five minutes that she had taken it. The first time I saw her do it, I thought she was just taking it because she wanted it, but after it happened repeatedly, I came to the conclusion that she found comfort in the items that she took, whether or not she knew it, and would keep it until her consciousness told her of it.   
  
Smiling at her retreating form as it turned the corner, the white sheet dragging behind her in a cute fashion, I looked over at the boy whose emotions could be read easily: he looked somewhat between amused and perplexed as he stared at the door that Sky had left through. Chuckling slightly, which I soon stopped as I felt the pain sear through the small of my back, I swung my feet over the side of the bed. I stretched to my full height before turning towards the dark haired man in the bed next to mine, who was watching me with interest. Just as I was about to say something, Sky's voice rings through the hall into the bedroom, "Food will be done in a minute! Hurry up Kirkabishko, and you too, Stranger!"  
  
We didn't waste any time on the clothes that we pratically threw onto ourselves, before I was half-racing/half-leading the 'stranger' down the hall into the kitchen. It was a somewhat small kitchen, having very little accessories, and a small table for four people. Sky was just finishing laying out the silverware as we came barging into the kitchen; the look on her face seemed quite amused as we both blushed like little boys before hurrying to sit down.   
  
I sipped on my soup lightly, glancing at how Sky ate hers slowly, and then not being able to tear my eyes away from Taichi as he seemed to gulp down his food. When I had managed to glance back at Sky, she was smiling -half trying to hide it-, and I turned my attention back to watch the show. After a couple of minutes, in which he ate most of the food on the table, he noticed how I was staring at him, and gulped down the last of the food in his mouth before sheepishly blushing at the both of us. Deciding that conversation would be the best way to go, I asked what seemed quite natural, although my sore throat seemed to distort it slightly from my normally calm voice, "So, what are you brings you here?"  
  
"My name's Taichi, and I'm supposed to meet with a friend of mine, she asked for an escort. It took longer than I had expected to get here-"  
  
I barely took notice of how Sky stared more towards the talking man, before realizing that she wasn't staring at him. He was cut off unexpectedly as Sky bolted up out of her chair, and ran out of the screen door behind him. I just barely managed to catch a glimpse of a baby Yokomon standing on top of a roof in the far distance, it was so small that it only seemed like a speck on the horizon. Sky probably hadn't even notice the abruptness that she had spurred upon the early conversation.   
  
The young man seemed stunned as he stared after her, and I for one can't even account how many times she had done that to me without leaving me shocked. But after the numerous of times she had done it, the shock wears off quicker than it normally would for inexperienced people. A strange thought then occured to me, maybe he could tell me something of where Sky was when he arrived in town? I asked the question in such a normal way that he stared incredously at me for not even mentioning what had just happened, but none the less it brought him back into conversation.  
  
"I found her a little while from town. She was being attacked by some Flymon, and I helped out. What was she doing out there anyhow, Kirkabishko?"  
  
There was evident anger in his voice, but I couldn't help smiling at him. The laughter that came from Sky, who had suddenly appeared at the door, didn't help any on my control of emotions. She must've heard what he had said, because she was leaning against the door, laughing with a smile that I knew wouldn't come off of her face for awhile. Taichi seemed somewhere between angry, confused, or even embarrassed at being laughed at. As soon as she regained control, Sky quickly apologized for running out, and sat back down at the table.   
  
"Maybe I should introduce my brother, Mera. Kirkabishko, in gibberish, means my brother."   
  
The boy bowed his head, mumbling something that I didn't quite catch, but it made Sky laugh some more. He glanced back up at me, as if apologizing for the mistake, and then sheepishly looked at Sky. As I watched him stare at my sister, I couldn't help but think that maybe she wasn't the only one with feelings....  
  
"What were you doing out of town? You know it's dangerous out there-"  
  
"Don't worry so much about me. I just had to take care of some business, besides, I didn't get into any trouble."  
  
"Any trouble? Flymen attacked you! You could've been killed! And so far from the town! Do you not hear a word that I warn you about?!"  
  
"You worry too much, Kirkabishko. I am old enough to take care of myself! Nothing happened, I'm fine, I'm here, nothing happened!"  
  
She acted so childish sometimes, going off and doing things that even I thought would get her killed. She just didn't seem to understand that many people (and digimon alike) would go after her if she gave them the oppurtunity. What was she doing out there in the woods so far from town? Especially when she knows that an escort is on the way to get her? It just doesn't make sense that she would leave me when I need her...  
  
"How long?"  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"How long have you been gone?"  
  
"What is this? 20 questions?"  
  
"How long have you been gone this time, Sky?"  
  
"Kirkabhisko, do you not trust me? What does it matter how long that I've been gone? I'm here now, and-"  
  
"And you'll be leaving soon! So how long have you been gone?"  
  
"Shorter than how long I'll be gone this time!"  
  
She was out of the door before I could even grab her, before I could even come to recognition of how I made her appear infront of both of us. I took a moment to stare at the shocked look on Taichi's face, before just gripping at my now pounding head.   
  
We didn't usually get into fights, and to have one infront of a stranger wasn't helping at all. But why wouldn't she just tell me where she was? She knows that I get worried when she isn't close to the town, but still she should've told me!   
  
The pain in my head is taking over my reality, and I barely notice that I'm slipping out of my chair now. But something catches me, and I'm hoping that it's kirkabishka, but the firmness isn't the kind of touch that she has. I desperately try to no avail to get him to let go of me, not wanting to burn him like I had done to Kiki. Her sweet image flashes into my mind's eye, before it is transformed into the hideous image that I had charcoaled into my brain. Kiki......  
  
"Kirkabishka...." My throat is becoming sore again.  
  
"Just hang on, Mera, I've almost got you to the bedroom." The deep voice isnt' the one that I want to hear.  
  
"...Sky.." It's getting harder to swallow, harder to deal with this pain in my head.  
  
"Just hold on, alright? Do you need medicine or something?" Again, the deep voice answers my calling.  
  
"...Sora..." I need her right now, more than the other times that I called out for her. Oh, please just take away this pain.  
  
"Kirkabishko, I'm here. Shhh...Mera, just concentrate on my voice. Just listen to me, alright? It'll be alright, your gonna be just fine. I'm right here, everything is gonna be alright. Kirkabishko, just concentrate on my voice."   
  
I'm listening to her, instantly relieved when she finally answered, and am trying my best to ignore the pain and pounding going on in my head to hear her. She's humming a song, one that I know but just can't place at the moment. It's quite soft, especially with the voice that she has, and goes from tense to relaxing. I feel myself slipping farther into the darkness, and soon I don't even feel how her hands are touching my skin. All I can hear is the humming of her voice, and soon, I don't even notice that I've slipped through the cracks into the Dream World.  
  
It's dark outside now, I dont' know how I know it, but I do. She's here by my side, and I slowly open my eyes to see her dressed in her traveling clothes once more. She leans over and kisses my forehead, her lips lingering there for a few seconds before she softly pulls away.   
  
"I have to leave now, Kirkabishko. You'll be fine, just make sure that you listen to Grandmother Yoko."  
  
She's gripping my hand, much like she's afraid of what she's gonna say next.   
  
"I fear for this little village. Please, take good care of youself, and the other Yokomon."  
  
I barely manage a nod, but she knows that I will. She knows because she knows me.  
  
"I love you, Mera."  
  
I see the tears form in her eyes, and barely manage to tell her the same thing. She suddenly lets go of my hands, kisses my forehead once more, and after blinking back her tears, smiles at me. She heads for the door, and is gone without looking back. I understand though, if you look back, you'll never be able to face the future once more. My hand comes to the necklace that has appeared around my neck, one that I hadn't even noticed was there before. When did she put this on me?  
  
I inspect it closer, and notice the symbol on it. This was the first thing she had earned in the digital world, and she never takes it off. Why would she give me this? Oh dear god, what is instore for her? For me?  
  
She has left me with only awakening that she could've: The Crest of Love. 


End file.
